◈ Episode 547. Unapproachable (1)
If the door to the Manshinjeon had truly opened. ‘Regardless of the entry restriction known as divine authority.’ Then anyone might have been able to enter its interior.
But what I couldn’t understand was.
How my legend was echoing throughout that place!
As you can see, I’m in reality, not the Divine Realm or the Arcana Continent, right?
But the system message had no reason to lie.
Then only one possibility remained. ‘……It was you, Shadow God.’ If, for whatever reason, the Shadow God had entered the Manshinjeon and was rampaging in my name to the point where my legend echoed……? Then the entire current situation made sense.
Then, a scream from Muon pierced my ears.
“The Saintess has been abandoned by the Goddess……!”
“The Goddess is enraged!”
“Drag Freija down at once……!!”
Tch, listening to this, I couldn’t even snort in derision. ‘So that was all the faith you had?’ I hate to admit your harsh words, but it seems you were right, Granfel. To see them blaming others blindly without even knowing the exact reason the Goddess’s voice vanished.
I opened my mouth sincerely.
“Truly foolish.”
If the Shadow God had entered the Manshinjeon and was rampaging to the extent that my legend echoed, it made sense that the Goddess wouldn’t even have the leisure to convey words to the Saintess. ‘Of course, I have absolutely no intention of telling them the whole story.’ Why? Because I’ve faced him myself. ‘Because even with an incomplete divinity, he won’t be easy to deal with.’ The master of the Shadow Mercenaries, the Shadow God.
In short, the Shadow God could be called the superior, compatible version of the Shadow Mercenaries. That he possessed skills that no one could rival when it came to harming someone.
Moreover. ‘The Manshinjeon is far from intact.’ The horde of Prototypes that appeared at its entrance. ‘The interior would be no exception either.’ It was highly likely that Raymond Shun’s scheming had spread inside the Manshinjeon as well.
So I, Lee Hoyeol.
Already had the estimate calculated in my head.
I win this war.
Cocky to go against a god?
No, look closely.
Look at who stands behind me.
“Commander-in-chief!!”
“Our benefactor.”
“Chief……!”
The Holy War Allied Forces.
Don’t I have the most reliable allies one could ask for?
Though confident, I inwardly swallowed a sigh. ‘Somehow I feel like I’ll be even more tired after the war.’ Because none of their expressions looked ordinary.
Even if the others looked no different than usual.
Senior disciple of the Black Demon Sword Arts, Matisse, was wiping the corners of his eyes.
‘……Let’s not drop anything next time, Granfel.’
It was all because of [The Red Spider Lily Blooming from Blood].
The ones I had placed neatly in my office.
The butterfly effect brought about by a single one of those flowers, all of it……!
I had roughly grasped the situation; it would be against propriety not to respond to the outpouring of concern. I opened my mouth, flapping my jacket of dawn.
“There is nothing to fear.”
[The One Who Waits for the Dawn 5/5]
[Set item effects are applied.]
[Currently applied set effects: 5/5]
[1. When serving as commander, allied morale becomes ‘Maximum’.]
[2. All attacks are granted additional damage. The additional damage carries the ‘Light’ attribute, and even if the target has the ‘Light’ attribute, it deals the same damage.]
[3. Once during battle, nullifies status abnormalities on all allies.]
…….
“This was a fight won before it even began.”
*“……Sob.”
Explorer, Park Hwigan.
His feet were helplessly tied.
He was isolated in the holy land, Muon.
Crouched in a corner of the bathroom, he sniffled.
“I mean, I’ve been too lucky all this time, haven’t I? I happened to catch Lord Hoyeol on camera and my stream blew up, and after that I got caught up in tremendous events and could even do live broadcasts, and despite being weak, I somehow survived. But……”
It seemed his luck had run out here.
“To think the Goddess would suddenly appear and declare a holy war…….”
The Goddess’s manifestation through the Saintess, Freija.
Immediately after, Muon had been sealed off.
Even the news coming through the chat was grim.
—Hwigan, I’ll pray for your soul in advanceㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
—Dude, don’t even joke like that;;;
—No way, that Bohemian tabloid gossip was real
—Is Gaiber properly crazy?
—Hwigan, never get caught ㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷ
Bohemian Guild.
Executive, Hamed.
He had been condemned as a heretic and summarily executed.
“……Hup.”
Park Hwigan moved deeper into the corner, lowering his voice even further.
“No matter how much [Camouflage] is, it can’t hide me completely like [Stealth]……. If I’m discovered like this, I’ll be interrogated too, won’t I? Told to prove my faith in the Goddess.”
Park Hwigan firmly pressed his lips together.
“Yes. If it means surviving, what can’t I do? But.”
He couldn’t.
“Forget anyone else, how could I?”
Faith was something he could never relinquish, even at the cost of his life. That was right. Park Hwigan possessed a faith that would not break no matter the circumstance. Even though he was still in a bathroom.
Park Hwigan puffed out his chest proudly.
“Rather than live like that…… I would rather die a martyr!”
—Wtf
—Hwigan, you’ll probably be the first martyr of the Hoyeol Church
—No one here is sane either;;;
Behind the chat window where tongues clicked, news was delivered.
The Holy War Allied Forces were gathering troops from the Kingdom of Yusra. It was said that senior mages of the Magic Tower had joined as well, so once preparations were complete, they could appear in Muon in an instant.
However.
—But where’s Lee Hoyeol? Can’t even see the tip of his nose? lol
Still, Hoyeol’s whereabouts had not been spotted.
Park Hwigan raised his finger.
……
Had they called it a heretic’s judgment?
I’m feeling down anyway, let me try that too.
A cold voice echoed in the bathroom.
“I see many non-believers. I shall pass judgment on this chat window.”
Immediately, the chat window was flooded with a single word.
—Homen
—Homen
—Homen…….
“I am overjoyed by the brethren’s faith.”
It was the moment Park Hwigan let out a satisfied smile.
“A, aaaaaaaaaack……!!”
Screams began to envelop Muon.
—Hwigan, no matter how scared you are, tone down the screams lol
“I, I didn’t scream?!”
—Then you’re saying the priests of the Goddess’s Order screamed?
“H, how would I know?!”
—You’re stuttering so it’s true lol
It didn’t take long.
For the playfulness to vanish from that chat window.
Muon, where the eyes of the entire world were focused.
Because news had arrived shortly.
—Guys???? They say the Goddess’s revelation has disappeared????
……He shot up.
Park Hwigan, who had been crouching, got to his feet.
“I will verify that rumor immediately.”
Because as a NetTube Player, it was an exclusive he couldn’t miss?
To solicit sponsorships from viewers?
No, no matter how much he desired wealth and honor.
Park Hwigan was not such a fool as to stake his life on that.
Explorer’s League.
Park Hwigan had become an explorer recognized even within the League. They say position makes the person, and so it was with him. Meaning he had developed an eye for reading situations, unlike before.
Step by step, he traced his thoughts.
The Goddess’s revelation had disappeared.
Because of that, Muon was shaken.
So violently that unidentified screams were bursting out. ‘……The internal situation will help the Holy War Allied Forces.’
Snap.
His hesitation was brief.
Park Hwigan, biting his lip tightly, activated [Camouflage] once more.
Throwing a priest’s robe over himself, he stepped out of the bathroom.
Then he saw it.
“……What is this?”
The scenery of Muon engulfed in madness.
“Freija has incurred the Goddess’s wrath!!”
“The Saintess’s faith was lacking!”
“Saintess? Don’t make me laugh. From now on, Freija is a witch!!”
Park Hwigan muttered sincerely.
“Everyone’s gone properly mad.”
The Saintess, Freija.
He had learned this while infiltrating Muon: regardless of how much resentment he held, Freija was remarkable. Meaning she had faithfully carried out the role of a Saintess who obeys the Goddess’s words.
“But the moment you couldn’t hear the voice, she’s a witch?”
Despite being the enemy, he felt sympathy.
The madness of Muon was trying to devour Freija then and there.
Was this truly an attitude that those who serve a god could show?
Disgust welled up to the point of nausea.
“……If it were Lord Hoyeol.”
At Park Hwigan’s mumbling, the chat window, which had been in shock, reacted.
—He would have forgiven her again
—How many times has he spared them?
—Sometimes you wonder why he does that
It wasn’t about judging whether an action was right or wrong.
He was simply being compared.
Park Hwigan shook off idle thoughts and pondered. ‘More importantly, why did the revelation suddenly disappear?’
Just in case, he checked his smartwatch, but no new update had appeared. Meaning the Manshinjeon remained in the state it had been from the last emergency update.
—Hey, Hwigan, it’s not just the Goddess’s Order that’s in chaos?!
—They say all the other denominations have lost their revelations tooㄷㄷ
—It seems the connection to Manshinjeon has been completely cut off???
An explorer’s instincts kicked in.
“……If something abnormal has happened in the Manshinjeon?”
It was the moment he asked.
“!”
An eerie presence that raised goosebumps was felt from outside Muon.
It wasn’t just Park Hwigan.
Silence suddenly flowed through Muon, which had been in chaos.
Everyone felt it.
Something.
Something immeasurable.
Was approaching Muon.
Soon, the chat window identified its true nature.
—Lee Hoyeol is here!!!!
—I believed in you
—Homen…….
Lee Hoyeol.
Hoyeol had revealed himself in Muon.
Park Hwigan had been waiting for him more than anyone.
“……Lord Hoyeol has appeared?”
At that moment, Park Hwigan couldn’t simply rejoice.
Because [Camouflage] had overwritten him with the characteristics of the Goddess’s Order. From the standpoint of the Goddess’s Order. He was indirectly experiencing the emotion of facing Hoyeol as an enemy.
……Gulp.
It was a pressure so immense that swallowing dryly was burdensome.
Tremble, tremble, tremble.
Needless to say, his hands and feet shook like aspen leaves. Even though he was a non-combat class, a player’s body—far surpassing that of an ordinary person—felt as though it would collapse at any moment.
‘Is it simply because I’m standing on the opposite side……?’
No, something was different.
If asked how he could be sure…….
It was pure intuition.
Specialized in detecting threats.
A warning sent by an explorer’s senses.
Of course.
“The false saintess is unneeded!!”
“What the Goddess desires is faith!”
“Prove that faith through death.”
The madness of Muon seemed to swallow even that.
Perhaps because of that, the sealed gates of Muon.
Opened from the inside instead.
Groan.
“For the Goddess!”
Paladins shouted, raising their swords.
“May the Goddess’s grace be with us.”
Priests closed their eyes and offered prayers.
Boom.
They faced Hoyeol beyond the open gates.
Park Hwigan also faced Hoyeol in person for the first time in a while.
And he felt it.
As expected, you are as always.
That expression, that upright posture, that brilliant silver hair.
But if there was one thing.
That had changed.
Park Hwigan opened his mouth.
“……His attire.”
He wasn’t referring to the dazzlingly extravagant [The One Who Waits for the Dawn] clothing set. Park Hwigan’s gaze was fixed solely on Hoyeol’s upper body, precisely on the brooch.
A hexagram-shaped brooch visible at a glance.
Park Hwigan was certain. The reason Hoyeol exuded a different momentum than before was because of that [Hexagram Brooch]. Thinking with a player’s common sense.
‘It’s probably a set item.’
If he thought that the reason Hoyeol had been away was to acquire that item…… he could roughly guess the value of that hexagram brooch.
Even so, he couldn’t understand.
No matter how incredible a set item it was.
Could a single item bring about such a change?
He thought he would be busier rejoicing than anyone.
Instead, Park Hwigan froze.
The chat window clamored at him.
—Hwigan, aren’t you going to worship?
—Shouldn’t you pray first?
—Your faith is lacking, Hwigan
Embarrassed by the pouring messages, Park Hwigan muttered.
“……He has risen to another level once again.”
For whatever reason, it was a voice filled with fear.
“To the point that someone like me cannot dare to approach.”
…
Pride opened his eyes with difficulty.
At his bedside.
Scattered light had awakened him from his faint.
“……A single ray of light.”
Clenching his teeth.
He reached out his hand.
What came into it was a small piece.
The sixth and final piece of the Hexagram Brooch.
“Are you trying to drag Granfel to hell after all……?”